1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a scraper for removing materials adhering to the bottom grooved surface of a carpet seaming iron.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Carpet installers frequently are required to secure or seam two pieces of carpet together with a carpet seaming iron and carpet seaming tape.
Carpet seaming tape typically includes a fabric backing presenting a surface with carpet seaming glue The carpet seaming glue is normally solid at room temperature but melts when heated. The tape is positioned beneath the junction between the carpet pieces.
The carpet seaming iron positioned between the pieces of carpet melts the glue on the tape. Typically, such irons include a shoe, an electrical heating element and a handle extending upwardly from the shoe to allow the iron to be moved along the junction between the two pieces of carpet. The carpet seaming iron is moved along the junction between the two pieces of carpet for melting the glue on the surface of the carpet seaming tape. The respective edges of the carpet pieces being joined flow over the top of the shoe, around the handle of the iron and contact the melted glue on the surface of the tape behind the iron as it moves along the junction. The glue then cools and hardens securing the edges of the carpet together.
The integrity of the seam between the respective pieces of carpet depends on the quantity of glue at the junction. To locate the melted glue, the bottom surface of the carpet seaming iron shoe typically has a plurality of grooves which collect and distribute the melted glue in longitudinal beads aligned with the junction between the two pieces of carpet.
Carpet seaming irons are frequently left on either because of a problem or inattention, and glue and other debris gradually become caked and/or baked onto the bottom surface of the shoe filling and clogging the grooves causing the glue, as it is melted by the iron, to be pushed out around the edges of the shoe rather than collected and distributed in longitudinal beads aligned adjacent to the junction between the pieces of carpet. The resulting seam, under such circumstances is low quality.
Accordingly, carpet installers typically must remove any debris and glue baked onto the bottom of their the irons clogging the grooves before seaming two pieces of carpet together. Heads of nails, screw drivers, sticks, wire brushes or any thing else that is handy are typically used to remove the cake of glue and debris baked into the grooves on the bottom surface of the carpet iron shoe.
Carpet installers both need and deserve a tool specifically designed for removing the glue, debris and gunk that becomes baked onto the bottom surfaces of their trusty carpet seaming irons.